Why Astrology Does Not Work : A Scientific View Point
Vijay [email protected]
Astrology
• What’s the need of knowing future
- Politicians fighting elections- Investors risking capitals - Generals leading Army
Birth
Genetic endowment inherited from both parents environmental factor
Personality traits Physical Characteristics
Death
Pseudoscience
“ Body of knowledge, methodology , belief or practice that claim to be scientific / made to appear scientific but doesn’t adhere to basic requirements of scientific method. ”
Pseudo – False / Pretending
Science ( Latin Scientia) – Knowledge
Pseudoscience
• Astrology • Quackery • Occult• Superstition • Vaastu
Pseudoscience : Characteristics
• Vague scientific clauses, not precise
• Failure to make use of operational definition
• Lack of boundary condition
• Lack of effective control
Pseudoscience : Characteristics
• Assertion of scientific claims that can not be falsified if incorrect (Falcifiability)
• Over reliance on testimonials & anecdotes
• Selective use of supportive experimental evidence• • Assertion that claims which have not been proven false
must be true (Argument from ignorance)
• Reversed burden of proof
• Mantra of ‘holism’ to explain negative finding
Pseudoscience : Characteristics
• Evasion of peer review before publishing (science by press conference )
• Assertion of claims of secrecy or proprietary knowledge if requested to reveal data/ methodology
• Failure to progress towards additional evidence of its claims.
• Lack of self correction • Use of misleading scientific sounding language
Pseudoscience : Characteristics
• Tight social groups, authoritarian personality, group think can enhance adoption of belief with no rational basis, critics identified ‘enemies’
• Assertion of Claims of a conspiracy of scientific community to suppress the result
Why Pseudosciences staying
• Human proclivity for seeking confirmation rather refutation (confirmation bias )
• Tendency to have comforting beliefs• Human prone to association based on
resemblance only• Human often prone to misattribution in cause
effect thinking• Public lacks the ability to judge claims on
scientific basis• Support from political/ beurocratic/ prominent
personalities
“Pseudoscience has no scientific meaning & mostly describe our
emotions”
Larry Laudan
Astrology- History
• Ancient Babylonia – 3000 yrs back Priests used to contribute a calendar on
astronomical basis- when to harvest plant (Name of planets - name of Gods)
• 1000 BC – literature on ‘planetary omens’ Mars – god of war – summer
Venus – goddess of sexual love – spring night
• 600 BC – Babylonia 12 sign zodiac
• 14th april 410 BC- oldest horoscope
• Greek & Roman & Babylonia Astrologers (Chaldeanss)
Astrology- History
• Christianity
• 19th century end – Vanishing Cult
• 1930- British Astrologers – R.H. Nay- daily newspaper horoscopic coloums
• India – 325 BC with invasion by Alexander the great
Astrology – Principles
• Vedanta philosophy – life governed by past action (karma)
• Position of planets at birth – determine present & future
Unanswered questions What is scientific correlation between planets &
life – birth, education, marriage, children, job, health.
Sign Date of Entry Raashi Date of entry
Aries March 21 Mesha April 14
Taurus April 21 Vrishabha May 14
Gemini May 22 Mithuna June 14
Cancer June 22 Karkataka July 16
Leo July 23 Simha August 14
Virgo August 23 Kanya September 17
Libra September 23 Tula October 17
Scorpio October 23 Vrischika November 16
Sun’s entry into signs Sun’s entry into Raashis
Sign Date of Entry Raashi Date of entry
Sagittarius November 22 Dhanus December 16
Capricorn December 22 Makara January 14
Aquarius January 22 Kumbha February 13
Pisces February 21 Meena March 14
Sun’s entry into signs Sun’s entry into Raashis
Astrology
• ? Gravitational force of nursing home, Gynecologist, pediatrician, Anesthetist.
• ? Electromagnetic radiation from TV, other appliances
Astrologers – Astrologers view point
• Just as gravitational force , planets influence life through infrared , ultra violet & cosmic rays
• Individuals emit electrons at different roles. Planet passes electromagnetic field around them Interaction results in various experiences in life
• Astrology / Jyotisha - “Darshana” – dealing with great transcendental knowledge (extra sensory or supra-natural)
• above ordinary & worldly science
• Many predictions by great Astrologers true.
Astrologers – Astrologers view point
• Horoscope based on scientifically established Astronomy. Hence predictions perfectly scientific
• Western ‘scientists’ have endorsed / vouchsafed scientific
nature of astrology
• Wrong predictions -Date & time of birth wrong -Mistake in panchanga chosen – position of planets in
different panchanga different -Quacks in the field to be blamed – not science of
astrology
Astrology
• Biggest strength – Vagueness defies experimental verification
Eg-
- Nation will face a national calamity in Ist week of January
- (Lilawati) – would undergo lot of sufferings
• “How happy are the astrologers if they tell one truth to a hundred lies, while other people lose all credibility if they tell one lie to hundred truths.”
Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540)
• Astrologers consider the short-lived public memory as the corner-stone for their dubious trade.
Astrology
Why Astrology
• Comfort of having guidance of making decisions
• Comfort of believing in destiny predetermined by astral forces beyond control.
Astrology- Reasoning Missing Planet
• Astrology invented – 5 planets – Mercury , Venus, Mars , Jupiter & Saturn
• Uranus (1781) Neptune (1846) Pluto (1930)
• Thousands of Asteroids, hundreds of comet , dozen of satellites
• Billions of stars, Billions of other Galaxies & other strange objects.
Linda Goodman – A planet doesn’t have any influence until it is discovered
Astrology- Reasoning
• Rahu & Ketu – Imaginary planets
• Time of birth – light time relativity Sun- 8 minute Venus – 6 minute
• Need for precession – Axis of earth rotates on itself - 25000 year to complete rotatio
Zodiac sign – 2000 yr Earth’s rotation – 30 degree
All Zodiac sign should be changed
• Zodiac signs – Babylonia -12 ( range 6-18) Chinese & Hindus – 28
Toltec culture ( middle America ) -20
Astrology
• Dropped from syllabus of Oxford & Cambridge in 17th century. Astronomy – continues to be taught.
• Astrology illegal in Britain for > 1 century King George IV – “every person pretending or
professing to tell fourtunes or using any suitable craft, means or device by palmistry or otherwise, to deceive and impose upon any of his majesty’s subject …. Shall be decevied a rogue & vagabond, within the true intent & meaning of the act”
• punishment – 3 months hard labour
Astrology – Scientists objection
1975- 186 leading scientist including 19 noble prize winners statement in “ the Humanist”
• Cautioned public against unquestioning acceptance of prediction & advice by astrologers
• Distance & Gravitational force of planets can be measured – can not shaped future, make particular day more favorable for anything, determine competability with people
• Concern over media’s role
Astronauts : Position of planets
Astronaut Birth date
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Neil Armstrong
August 5, 1930
Cancer Sagittarius Leo Leo Taurus Gemini Sagittarius
Buzz Aldrin January 20, 1930
Capricorn Virgo Capricorn Capricorn Sagittarius Taurus Sagittarius
Pete Conrad June 2, 1930
Taurus Leo Taurus Gemini Pisces Taurus Sagittarius
Alan Bean March 15, 1932
Aquarius Aries Pisces Aries Aquarius cancer Capricorn
Ed Mitchell Sep 17, 1930
Leo Gemini Leo Libra Gemini Gemini Sagittarius
Astronaut Birth date
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Dave Scott June 6, 1932
Taurus Gemini Taurus Gemini Aries Cancer Capricorn
Jim Irwin March 17, 1930
Pisces Virgo Aquarius Pisces Aquarius Taurus Sagittarius
John Young Sep 17, 1930
Virgo Virgo Virgo Libra Gemini Gemini Sagittarius
Charlie Duke
October 3, 1935
Virgo Scorpio Virgo Leo Scorpio Libra Aquarius
Alan Shepard
November 18, 1923
Libra Pisces Libra Scorpio Virgo Libra Virgo
Gene Carnan
March 14, 1934
Pisces Aquarius Aquarius Capricorn Pisces Virgo Capricorn
Harrison Schmi
July 3, 1935
Gemini Cancer Taurus Leo Virgo Libra Aquarius
Nobel Laurel : Positioning Planets
Nobel Laureate
Birth date
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Mother Teresa
August 27,1910
Leo Taurus Leo Cancer Leo Virgo Pisces
Lech Walesa September 29,1943
Virgo Virgo Leo Leo Taurus Leo Taurus
Andrei Sakharov
May 21,1921
Taurus Libra Taurus Pisces Taurus Leo Leo
Norman Borlaug
March 25,1914
Pisces Aquarius Aquarius Pisces Gemini Capricorn Taurus
Martin Luthe King Jr.
January 15,1929
Sagittarius Aquarius Capricorn Aquarius Taurus Pisces Sagittarius
Nobel Laureate
Birth date
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Linus Pauling
February 28, 1901
Aquarius Gemini Pisces Aquarius Leo Sagittarius
Sagittarius
Dag Hammarskjold
July 29,1905
Cancer Gemini Leo Taurus Libra Taurus Aquarius
Albert Schweitzer
January 14,1875
Capricorn Pisces Capricorn Scorpio Libra Virgo Capricorn
Theodore Roosevelt
October 27,1858
Virgo Gemini Virgo Scorpio Sagittarius Taurus Cancer
Henry Fontaine
April 22,1854
Pisces Aquarius Pisces Aquarius Leo Capricorn Taurus
Thomas Woodrow Wilson
December 28,1856
Sagittarius Sagittarius Sagittarius Capricorn Capricorn Pisces Gemini
Fritjof Nansen
October 10,1861
Virgo Sagittarius Libra Libra Virgo Leo Leo
Nobel Laureate
Birth date
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn
Arthur Henderson
September 13,1863
Leo Leo Virgo Virgo Leo Virgo Virgo
Carlos Saavedra Lamas
November 1,1878
Libra Capricorn Libra Virgo Virgo Capricorn Pisces
Carl Ossietzky
October 3,1889
Virgo Capricorn Virgo Leo Leo Sagittarius
Leo
Cordell Hull October 2,1871
Virgo Taurus Leo Virgo Scorpio Gemini Sagittarius
Emily Green Balch
January 8,1867
Sagittarius Capricorn Sagittarius Scorpio Gemini Capricorn Libra
Betty Williams
May 22,1943
Taurus Sagittarius Taurus Gemini Pisces Gemini Taurus
Henry Kissinger
May 27, 1923
Taurus Virgo Taurus Aries Gemini Libra Virgo
Astrology- Scientific scrutiny
• Bernard silverman ( 1967-68 Michigan) 2,978 married couple, 478 divorced couple-
no correlation
• John Mc Gervey – 16.634 scientist, 6475 entries in who’s who in American politics- no basis that occupation predominate under certain sunsign
Astrology Time twin study
• London 1958 – 2004
• 2000 babies born within minute of each other in march
• Compared for decades 100 parameters about health, occupation marital situation, anxiety level, Aggressiveness , sociability, IQ level, abilities in music, art, sport, mathematics, language etc.
No correlation
Journal of conscious studies - 2004
Astrology- Scientific scrutiny
• Roger Culiver & Philip Ionna – statistical study60 occupations
35 physical characteristics 47 medical disorders 26 personality traits Not influence by sun sign
Astrology- Failed prediction
• Roger culiver & Philip john –
3011 specific predictions of Astrologers & Astrological magazines over 5 yrs
338- true (11%)
Astrology
• The science & rationale association of India – Rs. 20,00,000- anyone who can predict death (year & date) of 4 famous personalities by astrology / other psychic power
• James Randi Educational foundation – 1 million dollar if actual effects attributed to Astrology proved under scientific scrutiny
Failed Prediction – Indian scenario
• 1971 elections• 1980 elections• 1989 elections – 12/13 astrologers failed to predict PM• 1980 – International meet of Astrologers in Delhi Dr. N D Shrimali – President – Indian Astrology Federation
-War between India & Pakistan 1982 end -World war 1984 -India 5th biggest power by end of decade
Astrology – This week for you
• “It is better to cancel your travel program as you may have to put up with hindrances & delays. You are lucky in having an ambitious partner who will have beneficial influence on you. You will show philosophical tendencies but you will be particular in your religious beliefs. do not rely too much on friends”
Prof P.V. KrishnaThe Week
Astrology – This week for you
• Patchwork of - Vague statements about readers character Meaning less warnings Commonsense warnings Exotic anticipation
• Man’s ego – assumes vaguely resembling events referring to him.same ego ignores prediction which don’t ‘apply’
Astrology
• UGC – decided to start deptt. Of Vedic Astrology ( Jyotish Vigyan ) in indian universities.
• Fundamental studies as per constitution – to develop scientific temper , humanism & spirit of reform.
Astrology
• It is necessary only for knowledgeable men to do nothing for nonsense to triumph
Edmund Burke
Astrology: Quotes
“ The planets do not make or mar our destiny. We the makers of our destiny.”
Pt Jawahar lal Nehru
“ Let stars come, what harm is there ? If a star disturbs my life, it would not be worth a cent”
Swami Vivekanad
“When you collect the 10 wisest men of the world and ask them to find the most stupid thing in existence, they
will not be able to find anything stupider than astrology.”
David Hilbert, one of the greatest mathematician of the 20th century
Astrology - Quotes
Astrology
• “You will find that all mystical things are generally sign of a weak mind, there for as soon as they are becoming prominent in our mind, we should see a physician, take good food & rest.”
Swami Vivekananda
• “Star gazing & astrology, forecasting lucky or unlucky events by sign , prognosticating good or evil, all these are forbidden.”
Gautam the Buddha
Astrology – Social & psychological dangers
• Marriage & Astrology ‘ Kuja/mangalika Dosha’
• Prediction of calamities in horoscope – psychological agony
• Adversely affect common sense & reasoning
• Precludes individuals attempt to improve. Prevent them from becoming ‘self dependent’ & ‘free persons’
Conclusion
• Astrology – Fascinating symbols , mysterious charts, abstruse calculation
• • Astrology oldest & currently most popular pseudoscience • Proved invalid & baseless
• Has the potential of making weak insecure even more weaker
• Show will go on – too many people like to be deceived & too many available to make money by deceiving
• We should face the world failure lies in ourselves not in stars.
• Change the things for good if you can • Accept the thing you can not change
• Know the difference between two- what you can change & what you cant
Thank You